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Colin O’Brady Completes Crossing of Antarctica with Final 32-Hour Push

nytimes.com

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Re: Colin O’Brady Completes Crossing of Antarctica with Final 32-Hour Push

#41

Post by tedunangst »

What is the definition of crossing Antarctica? It seems you have start at some point on the coast, go to the South Pole, then go to another point on the coast. But the South Pole isn't the midpoint. Nor are the two coastal points 180 degrees apart. Like what's the smallest angle that qualifies as a crossing? (If I hike along the France Spain border, is that hiking across Europe?)

Not to say it's any easier, but ever since these stories started coming out I've been wondering who decides what it means to cross the continent. Would going from Dronning Maud Land to George V Land, a journey of double the distance but passing north of the South Pole, count?

Re: Colin O’Brady Completes Crossing of Antarctica with Final 32-Hour Push

#42

Post by maxxxxx »

gameswithgo wrote: post #37
ForHackernews wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is it interesting? It sounds mind-numbingly dull trudging across 921 miles of ice.

well you go up and down some mountains, see strange ice formations that don't exist anywhere at all, get to tweet out sappy tweets every evening, go where no/few men/women have gone before and all.

You make it sound like a nice stroll in the park, not something that exhausts you to and beyond and your limit and tries to.kill and harm you every day.

Re: Colin O’Brady Completes Crossing of Antarctica with Final 32-Hour Push

#43

Post by staplers »

ForHackernews wrote: post #35
NikolaeVarius wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because it's interesting.

Is it interesting? It sounds mind-numbingly dull trudging across 921 miles of ice.

More interesting than browsing HN 365 days of the year..

Re: Colin O’Brady Completes Crossing of Antarctica with Final 32-Hour Push

#44

Post by komali2 »

Alupis wrote: post #27
lostlogin wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I talked to a guy who tried to cross it once. To get the huge number of required calories in a compact form they drank olive oil. He didn’t like it and it sure sounds nasty.

> To get the huge number of required calories in a compact form they drank olive oil. Eating sticks of butter is common too.

Thru hikes sometimes it's peanut butter and Nutella

Re: Colin O’Brady Completes Crossing of Antarctica with Final 32-Hour Push

#45

Post by gumby »

gameswithgo wrote: post #38
gumby wrote: post #2

At first I was shocked by how large a sled he dragged. I use a much smaller sled (just a deer sled). Then I saw how smooth the terrain was at least where the photo was taken. Then I read that he was out for 53 days . And of course his conditions are far, far more grueling than I have ever faced (all in North America). So then I was shocked at how little he had with him!

For long stretches the terrain was awful, as well there was climbing up to ~8500 feet or so

All solo...truly amazing!

Re: Colin O’Brady Completes Crossing of Antarctica with Final 32-Hour Push

#46

Post by dogecoinbase »

ForHackernews wrote: post #35
NikolaeVarius wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because it's interesting.

Is it interesting? It sounds mind-numbingly dull trudging across 921 miles of ice.

On the (unfortunately) few, rare occasions I've actually pushed myself to my limits (physical, mental, emotional, or otherwise), I've felt more of a sense of accomplishment and a drive to push further, in any of those domains, not just the one I pushed in, than I've ever had before. I certainly wouldn't claim to have anything figured out in the realm except on a personal level, but for me, every time I achieve something that seemed unachievable it's like it unlocks something in every other part of my life.

Re: Colin O’Brady Completes Crossing of Antarctica with Final 32-Hour Push

#47

Post by badideaprojects »

maxxxxx wrote: post #5

Just this week I read a story about Henry Worsley who died trying the same thing: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/02/12/the-white-dark... . After reading, I wonder if you have to a certain level of insanity for doing something like this.

Lou Rudd is also currently making the same journey, partly in memory of Henry Worsley who he knew.

https://m.facebook.com/louis.rudd.7

Him and Colin set off on the same day, 1 mile apart on the ice.

Re: Colin O’Brady Completes Crossing of Antarctica with Final 32-Hour Push

#48

Post by [deleted] »

avip wrote: post #34
FPGAhacker wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't know, but it's an interesting thought. What drives someone do to this? I'm in awe of it. It seems to me that it has to be tied to finding meaning in life one way or another. I have to wonder though, how long does it take for the afterglow of such a massive accomplishment to wear off and to start asking yourself "what now?"

There's an interview with Alex Honnold where he says he was already thinking about his next challenge during the last stretch of El Capitan. I personally can't understand these ongoing Bernoulli experiments, surely something in these people's mind differs profoundly from mine.

[deleted]

Re: Colin O’Brady Completes Crossing of Antarctica with Final 32-Hour Push

#49

Post by weej »

avip wrote: post #34
FPGAhacker wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't know, but it's an interesting thought. What drives someone do to this? I'm in awe of it. It seems to me that it has to be tied to finding meaning in life one way or another. I have to wonder though, how long does it take for the afterglow of such a massive accomplishment to wear off and to start asking yourself "what now?"

There's an interview with Alex Honnold where he says he was already thinking about his next challenge during the last stretch of El Capitan. I personally can't understand these ongoing Bernoulli experiments, surely something in these people's mind differs profoundly from mine.

They do - their amygdala.

"fMRI testing at the Medical University of South Carolina tilted the scales toward precisely that explanation — an underactive amygdala, not a negligent mother — by confirming that Honnold’s fear circuitry really does fire with less vigor than most."

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/09/opinion/el-capitan-my-el-...

Re: Colin O’Brady Completes Crossing of Antarctica with Final 32-Hour Push

#50

Post by ohazi »

avip wrote: post #34
FPGAhacker wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't know, but it's an interesting thought. What drives someone do to this? I'm in awe of it. It seems to me that it has to be tied to finding meaning in life one way or another. I have to wonder though, how long does it take for the afterglow of such a massive accomplishment to wear off and to start asking yourself "what now?"

There's an interview with Alex Honnold where he says he was already thinking about his next challenge during the last stretch of El Capitan. I personally can't understand these ongoing Bernoulli experiments, surely something in these people's mind differs profoundly from mine.

Honnold seemed pretty down to earth during his last few interviews. He seemed very willing to acknowledge that he doesn't have a good idea of what might be next for him, and that El Cap may end up being his last "big" challenge. Granted, his perspective may have changed with a little more time for reflection.
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